Posted: Aug 22, 2014
Complete OAC Volleyball Poll (.pdf)
BEREA, Ohio -- The Baldwin Wallace University team has been picked to finish seventh in the Ohio Athletic Conference this season in a poll conducted by the OAC coaches. A year ago, the Yellow Jackets finished 11-18 overall and sixth in the league.
Veteran Head Coach Vicki Brault, who enters her 20th season at BW and 24th season of coaching at the NCAA Division III level, returns 10 letter winners and seven student-athletes, who saw game action in her rotation last season. Brault also welcomes seven newcomers.
Seniors Alayna Chlad (Kent/ Roosevelt), Paige Pileski (Elyria), Katie Primeau (Pemberville/ Eastwood) and Markema Winters (Akron/ Firestone), juniors Kaitlin Burgess (Bentonville, Ark./ Silver Lake Regional [Mass.]) and Anna Miley (West Salem/ Northwestern) and sophomore Arlayna Newcomer (Norwalk/ St. Paul) all played roles in the rotation last fall.
Look for Brault to start Burgess at right side hitter, Winters at middle hitter, Chlad at outside hitter, Primeau at setter, Newcomer at libero and Pileski at defensive specialist. Miley, who missed 12 matches due to injury, will push for extended playing time at outside hitter.
In addition, sophomores Alicia Hood (Cincinnati/ Princeton), Emily Pechaitis (Olmsted Falls/ Avon Lake) and Sydney Robinson (Silver Lake/ Cuyahoga Falls) will push for more playing time and provide depth off the bench.
Sophomore transfer Stephanie Mims (Wellington), whose sister Lauren is on the Yellow Jacket softball team, and freshmen Hayley Chlad (Kent/ Roosevelt), Emily Daveant (North Ridgeville), Emily Hawkins (Worthington/ Thomas Worthington), Erin Lavelle (Marblehead/ Danbury), Melissa Metz (Medina/ Our Lady of the Elms) and Lauryn Wright (Orrville) all will push for playing time.
Seniors Alayna Chlad (Kent/ Roosevelt), Paige Pileski (Elyria), Katie Primeau (Pemberville/ Eastwood) and Markema Winters (Akron/ Firestone), juniors Kaitlin Burgess (Bentonville, Ark./ Silver Lake Regional [Mass.]) and Anna Miley (West Salem/ Northwestern) and sophomore Arlayna Newcomer (Norwalk/ St. Paul) all played roles in the rotation last fall.
Look for Brault to start Burgess at right side hitter, Winters at middle hitter, Chlad at outside hitter, Primeau at setter, Newcomer at libero and Pileski at defensive specialist. Miley, who missed 12 matches due to injury, will push for extended playing time at outside hitter.
In addition, sophomores Alicia Hood (Cincinnati/ Princeton), Emily Pechaitis (Olmsted Falls/ Avon Lake) and Sydney Robinson (Silver Lake/ Cuyahoga Falls) will push for more playing time and provide depth off the bench.
Sophomore transfer Stephanie Mims (Wellington), whose sister Lauren is on the Yellow Jacket softball team, and freshmen Hayley Chlad (Kent/ Roosevelt), Emily Daveant (North Ridgeville), Emily Hawkins (Worthington/ Thomas Worthington), Erin Lavelle (Marblehead/ Danbury), Melissa Metz (Medina/ Our Lady of the Elms) and Lauryn Wright (Orrville) all will push for playing time.
BW opens the 2014 season on Friday and Saturday, August 29-30 when it travels to Bexley to compete in the Capital/Otterbein Classic. The Yellow Jackets open the tournament against Maryville (Tenn.) College at 5 p.m. on Friday night.
The home opener is scheduled for Wednesday, September 3 when BW hosts Oberlin College in a non-conference match in the Rudolph Ursprung Gymnasium in the Lou Higgins Center at 7 p.m. The annual BW Marcia French Memorial Invitational is slated for Friday and Saturday, September 5-6 and is co-hosted with Case Western Reserve University. The first OAC match is on Friday, October 3 on the road against Muskingum University in New Concord.
